I understand that the generalized HP system helps keep Combat at a fast pace, but its always bothered me just a little.
Every one who played at being knights as kids know that when you get hit in the arm with wooden sword then you've obviously just got your arm violently hacked off, so you cant use that arm anymore.
I'm not looking to slow combat to a crawl or implement a million contradicting mechanics, but a little more detail to anatomy and techniques could spice up combat, especially where melee combatants are concerned.
This what Ive been rolling around my head.
An emphasis on called shots. Two arms, two legs, a head and a torso.
Any time your targeting a specific enemy you can say "ima hit his sword arm" or "Ima shoot him in the face".
Your torso is your center mass, the default target, nothing new or special.
but your arms, legs and head would have there own HP pools, each equal to half your total HP. A hit to any would deal equal damage to that limb and to your total HP.
So for example, you have a total of 24 HP, then each leg, arm and your head have 12 HP. Your hit in the Right arm for 6 damage, your total HP is down to 18 and your right arm is down to 6.
Im not looking for dismemberment or decapitation, the off chance that any one at any point can cut off the PCs head is too much. I was thinking, some real dangers but not so much it has any one avoiding combat out of fear of losing or ruining the character.
When an arm reaches 0 Hp you lose use of it, if your using a two hander you need to swich to a one hander and what not, maybe some spell failure for spells with somatic components. lose both, run away, but your probably disabled.
When you lose use of one leg, move at half speed, no runing, and +10 DC of balance or similar checks. lose both fall prone, your probably disabled.
The head is more tricky, as if you lose use of your head then your likely dead or dying, and as i said, the chance of insta death sucks. I figured something more along the lines of a concussion. your head gets to zero then your confused or stunned or both? Im not sure whats appropriate.
Also +1 AC to your head for both size and the instinctual motions to defend your brain.
Any magic healing, or natural healing would have full effect on your Main HP pool, and half effect on all injured limbs, conversely, any healing done to a targeted limb would have full effect on that limb and half effect on the rest, including your main pool.
I just started thinking of this today so please, critique and add insight.
with this system some new items should be added and existing items defined and amended. Just simply to add AC and Possibly DR to your limbs.
Helms. Greaves. Gauntlets.
Light. +1 AC
Medium. +2AC
Heavy. +3AC
Equal DR if needed.
Just Add these into the appropriate Armor proficiency. But let light be free.
Gauntlets are already defined, and adding a new item that covers the upper arm brings in complications like magic item slots and what not, so I'm thinking just add AC to gauntlets. Add spell failure to Med and Heavy Gauntlets, 10% and 20%?
Greaves are mentions in the armor descriptions in the PH but its just flavor text. Any penalty?
Helms also, just flavor. But Heavy helmets should apply a -1 attack for the limited range of vision, If a visor is included one should be able to lift it and remove the attack penalty but also remove 1 AC for exposing the face.
Ones normal AC should effect the entirety of the body, with the addition of the greaves, gauntlets, and helm giving additional protection to the appropriate body part.
For example, full plate is +8 AC, it comes with heavy gauntlets, greaves, and a helm, So one's AC, without magic, Dex, or other effects, would be 18 with 21 AC on arms, legs, and head.
I'm not sure how a shield would effect the ac of your shield arm, for simplicity I would it just adds the shields AC, but I hate how dismissive Games and movies are of shields, they are your first and best line of defense and this is sadly not reflected in Dnd rule. but thats a different issue.
I think what i have thus far wouldn't effect combat speed all that much, just add one more line under AC and 5 new lines under HP, keep track. No additional rolling.
Be smarter in combat, find weaknesses.
Anyways, thoughts? Objections? Amendments?
Every one who played at being knights as kids know that when you get hit in the arm with wooden sword then you've obviously just got your arm violently hacked off, so you cant use that arm anymore.
I'm not looking to slow combat to a crawl or implement a million contradicting mechanics, but a little more detail to anatomy and techniques could spice up combat, especially where melee combatants are concerned.
This what Ive been rolling around my head.
An emphasis on called shots. Two arms, two legs, a head and a torso.
Any time your targeting a specific enemy you can say "ima hit his sword arm" or "Ima shoot him in the face".
Your torso is your center mass, the default target, nothing new or special.
but your arms, legs and head would have there own HP pools, each equal to half your total HP. A hit to any would deal equal damage to that limb and to your total HP.
So for example, you have a total of 24 HP, then each leg, arm and your head have 12 HP. Your hit in the Right arm for 6 damage, your total HP is down to 18 and your right arm is down to 6.
Im not looking for dismemberment or decapitation, the off chance that any one at any point can cut off the PCs head is too much. I was thinking, some real dangers but not so much it has any one avoiding combat out of fear of losing or ruining the character.
When an arm reaches 0 Hp you lose use of it, if your using a two hander you need to swich to a one hander and what not, maybe some spell failure for spells with somatic components. lose both, run away, but your probably disabled.
When you lose use of one leg, move at half speed, no runing, and +10 DC of balance or similar checks. lose both fall prone, your probably disabled.
The head is more tricky, as if you lose use of your head then your likely dead or dying, and as i said, the chance of insta death sucks. I figured something more along the lines of a concussion. your head gets to zero then your confused or stunned or both? Im not sure whats appropriate.
Also +1 AC to your head for both size and the instinctual motions to defend your brain.
Any magic healing, or natural healing would have full effect on your Main HP pool, and half effect on all injured limbs, conversely, any healing done to a targeted limb would have full effect on that limb and half effect on the rest, including your main pool.
I just started thinking of this today so please, critique and add insight.
with this system some new items should be added and existing items defined and amended. Just simply to add AC and Possibly DR to your limbs.
Helms. Greaves. Gauntlets.
Light. +1 AC
Medium. +2AC
Heavy. +3AC
Equal DR if needed.
Just Add these into the appropriate Armor proficiency. But let light be free.
Gauntlets are already defined, and adding a new item that covers the upper arm brings in complications like magic item slots and what not, so I'm thinking just add AC to gauntlets. Add spell failure to Med and Heavy Gauntlets, 10% and 20%?
Greaves are mentions in the armor descriptions in the PH but its just flavor text. Any penalty?
Helms also, just flavor. But Heavy helmets should apply a -1 attack for the limited range of vision, If a visor is included one should be able to lift it and remove the attack penalty but also remove 1 AC for exposing the face.
Ones normal AC should effect the entirety of the body, with the addition of the greaves, gauntlets, and helm giving additional protection to the appropriate body part.
For example, full plate is +8 AC, it comes with heavy gauntlets, greaves, and a helm, So one's AC, without magic, Dex, or other effects, would be 18 with 21 AC on arms, legs, and head.
I'm not sure how a shield would effect the ac of your shield arm, for simplicity I would it just adds the shields AC, but I hate how dismissive Games and movies are of shields, they are your first and best line of defense and this is sadly not reflected in Dnd rule. but thats a different issue.
I think what i have thus far wouldn't effect combat speed all that much, just add one more line under AC and 5 new lines under HP, keep track. No additional rolling.
Be smarter in combat, find weaknesses.
Anyways, thoughts? Objections? Amendments?
